A Ring of Love
by LottieLacey
Summary: This is a story of Rosie and Sam's life together after Frodo has left to the Grey Havens. They will go through both happy times and sadness, but will love stay strong forever?


`The sun had shone bright in the sky all day long and Samwise Gamgee had worked for hours on end in the garden, often stopping to smoke the Longbottom Leaf which once again grew strongly in the Shire. Since Samwise had planted the seeds to regrow the party tree, he had never been out of work. But when he did not care to labour in the gardens, Samwise took to finishing the story that Frodo Baggins had left for him. In this story, Sam was writing his own adventures and finishing off Frodo's for him. Yes, he missed his friend dearly, but he trusted Gandalf. Frodo would be happier in the place that he had floated towards. Sam was pleased for him, he really was. And besides, he was not alone. He had both Rosie, his dear wife, and his two travel companions, Merry and Pippin.

"Sam, how long until you come in for dinner?" Rosie's honey voice caused a smile to break across Samwise's face and he turned towards her, wiping his brow with the back of his muddy hand. She was beautiful, as always. Her beautiful ringlets curled around her face and her cheeks shone brightly and pinkly. In her hands was a tea towel and the rounded stomach of pregnancy laid behind it. Being Rosie's husband had brought Samwise much happiness and she had helped him through the 'loss' of Frodo.

"I'll come in now Rosie." He smiled, walking towards her.

"Keep them hands away from me!" She giggled, pushing her husband away with the tea towel as he tried to tickle her. "You'd better wash 'em first."

"'Course I will." He laughed, following her into the hobbit hole and closing the door behind them. Elanor was laying the cutlery onto the table with her small child hands and she ran towards her father as he entered the kitchen. Unlike her mother, Elanor didn't care about muddy hands and she flung her arms around Sam's middle.

"Hello Elanorellë." He smiled, crouching down and squeezing her nose between his fingers. This was his nickname for the beautiful daughter with golden hair and in return she would call him Sam-Dad. Elanor was the most beautiful hobbit that Samwise had seen, along with Rosie of course. Whilst all other hobbits wore a boring head of hair on their heads, his daughter's hair shone brightly for all to see. Her face was delicate and her ears were slightly pointed, more like an elf's than any hobbit's. Perhaps this was a coincidence, but a small part of Samwise knew that it was not. His daughter was an elf-friend, although she had not yet met an elf.

"Come on you two. Let's have something to eat." Rosie was bringing the food over to the table now, while Sam and Elanor took their seats. The fish smelt beautiful and the potatoes were steaming. Immediately, everyone tucked in to the food and Samwise laughed as Elanor dropped fish onto her lap. His family was perfect and he was living a dream life. Rosie meant the world to him and his children were like china dolls.

The sun had fully set and the stars lit up the night sky. A waning moon was also bright in the sky and Samwise's smoke rings drifted over it as he blew them across the gardens. On nights like these, Sam felt both content and sad at the same time. He remembered blowing smoke rings with Frodo, sitting in unlikely places with the weight of the world on their shoulders. The Grey Havens was something that he had been offered, yet he was unable to take it upon himself to go there. As the last of the ring bearers left in Middle Earth, Samwise felt both alone but at home with his family. Frodo was right; the time would come when he was ready to leave, but it was not now. His place was here, with Rosie and Elanor. They would bring more children into the world before he left it forever.

"Sam?" Rosie's sweet voice once again settled him and he smiled to his wife.

"Rosie." He sighed happily.

"What troubles you? I can see it in your face so don't try to deny it Samwise Gamgee. I know you." She spoke now with a wisdom that only a hobbit could acquire. She and Sam were very close to each other, and they could sense when something was wrong. It was a result of their true love.

"I'm only remembering times gone by Rosie. I'm not troubled, only reminiscing." He smiled to her as she took a seat beside him on the bench and put his arm around her. She rested her head upon his shoulder as he stroked her hair. The night air was cool, but the smell of summer was still strong. The Shire was truly his home, or it had been. As a little boy he had been in love with the place, and his heart still went out to it. But there was a small part that wanted to travel. He now knew of different places and different experiences. Samwise had seen the world and suffered along with the wisest of people.

"Frodo." She merely confirmed his thoughts.

"Yes, as always. I wonder what has happened to him now. I also wonder whether he gives a thought to old Sam. Do you think he will ever read my stories? Will he know about our life together?" Sam was now speaking his thoughts out loud. There was nothing between the husband and wife.

"You will go there one day Sam." She spoke, looking up into his eyes.

"How can you know that?" He questioned, no harshness in his voice.

"Because Rosie knows _everything_." She laughed lightly. "You will go to that place, when I'm dead and gone. Sam, you were one of the unlucky few who had to bear... to bear... the ring." Even she knew the terribleness of the ring, what it had done to those who suffered its weight.

"Thank you Rosie. Thank you."

"You are always welcome." She spoke, understanding that his words were a thanks for more than those last words.

After that, Samwise leaned down to his wife and ran his lips along her jaw before kissing her lightly on the lips. She was his rock on which he stood. For many moments, the two hobbits shared in this love that had built within them over the last few years. Rosie Cotton had been the girl that Sam had first set his eyes on, his first and only love. She used to run around the Shire with her hair falling around her face, a small girl. Sam's love had grown for her and it was stronger than ever.

"I love you, my flower." Sam's words were whispered into his wife's hair.


End file.
